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Author: THWAITS Anne

June 4, 2025 in News

Benton County Budget Committee approves 2025-27 biennium budget

The Benton County Budget Committee closed a week of budget hearings on May 30 by approving the proposed 2025-27 budget with just four amendments. Financial Services staff are preparing the approved budget document for a final public hearing on June 17 before the Board of Commissioners. At the conclusion of the public hearing, the BOC will consider any further changes and adopt the 2025-27 budget.

The Budget Committee met on May 27, 29 and 30 to consider proposed biennium budgets for the County, the Library Services County Service District, and the 911 Emergency Services County Service District. The Library Services and 911 Services budgets were approved on May 27 with no amendments.

County administration and department heads presented detailed budgets to the Committee for the County’s 15 offices and departments, answering Committee members’ questions as they were raised. Following the final presentation, the Committee deliberated and created four amendments to the proposed County budget:

  1. They established a $1 cost center within the General Fund – under Public Safety Operating Programs – to start saving for a new correctional facility. This action creates a new line item for a facility that is desperately needed to replace the inadequate County Jail.
  2. They funded the budget line to continue the Sheriff’s Office work crew. Work crew is a public safety operating program that offers an alternative to incarceration through community service.
  3. They increased the budget by $847,000 to support dedicated funds for the Behavioral Health Deflection program that was launched at the beginning of 2024. This program provides another alternative to incarceration specifically for people cited for drug possession.
  4. They opted to maintain the current 2023-25 rate (3%) for deferred compensation for management and unrepresented employees.

In total, the approved budget was increased from $539,427,492 to $540,274,492 due to the $847,000 increase for the Behavioral Health Deflection Program. All other amendments were accomplished without increasing the total cost of the budget. Allocations were created by decreasing contingencies in multiple other funds to levels that still prudently mitigate budget risk.

Proposed budget documents, department presentations and recordings of all Budget Committee meetings are available for public viewing online at finance.bentoncountyor.gov/events/benton-county-budget-hearing-2025.

The Board of Commissioners will conduct a final public hearing on June 17 to consider and adopt the budget. They can make changes to the approved budget before adopting, but if they exceed 10% change per fund, another public notice and hearing will be required. The adopted budget will take effect on July 1.

recycling sorting bins

June 2, 2025 in News

Benton County and Republic Services host webinar to explain upcoming recycling changes

Benton County and Republic Services are partnering to host a webinar about statewide changes to recycling guidelines and access set to take effect on July 1. Anyone can register through Zoom to watch the virtual presentation scheduled for Tuesday, June 10 from 6-7 p.m.

All community members are invited to participate and learn how Oregon’s recycling system is changing, why it is changing and what residents need to know to recycle right moving forward. Time will be provided for questions about the new recycling rules and how they are being implemented in Benton County.

The July 1 changes are results of Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) passed in 2021. The RMA aims to reduce plastic pollution, improve access to recycling and create more sustainable waste management practices across the state.

“With the RMA, Oregon is a leader in creating a more efficient, equitable and effective recycling system,” says Bailey Payne, solid waste program coordinator for the County. “Working together with Republic Services, we can reach more people through outreach and education, thereby increasing the impact of these changes.”

The RMA is intended to modernize the state’s recycling system and make it more robust. Key components include:

  • Incentives for producers to use more recyclable materials in packaging.
  • A single, statewide list of recyclable materials to reduce confusion and expand what can be recycled in many parts of the state.
  • Access to recycling in all communities, including multifamily housing units and rural areas.
  • New performance standards and accountability practices for recycling facilities.

Those who wish to view the webinar can register online. A recording of the webinar will be posted to Benton County’s YouTube channel.

May 29, 2025 in News

Benton County announces additional meetings in landfill expansion hearing

The Benton County Planning Division announces several additional dates for the continuation of the public hearing on LU-24-027, Republic Services’ proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill.

The initial timeline for the public hearing before the Planning Commission included three days for presentations and public testimony on April 29 and May 1 and 6. A fourth day was added on May 8 to accommodate the volume of public verbal testimony. At the conclusion of that meeting, the hearing was continued to June 17, which had initially been intended as the date for deliberations and a decision.

The following dates have now been set to continue the proceedings. This is the expected schedule; dates are subject to change as necessary with prior notice. With the exception of the June 17 date, meetings will take place at the County’s Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.

Tuesday, June 17, 6 p.m. – virtual (Zoom)
Planning Commission meets to continue hearing to July 8.

Tuesday, June 24
Supplemental staff report issued. This report will include analysis of public testimony and supplemental material submitted by the applicant.

Thursday, July 3, 4 p.m.
Deadline to submit written testimony through online form and email (publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov). Written evidence can still be submitted in person at the public hearing or at the Community Development office: 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis, second floor.

Tuesday, July 8, 6-9 p.m.
Public hearing before the Planning Commission continues with presentation of revised staff report and presentation of applicant update. If time permits, begin public verbal testimony on new evidence only. Attestants can submit written testimony on new evidence during the meeting.

Wednesday, July 9, 6 p.m.
Continue public testimony if needed.

Tuesday, July 22, 6 p.m.
Deliberations by Planning Commission. Open to the public, but no public comment will be heard.

Tuesday, Jul 29, 6 p.m.
Meeting to adopt final written decision and findings.

The deadline to reach a decision on the application has been extended from August 11 to September 27. Republic Services requested and was granted a 47-day extension of the 150-day timeline. This is the second extension that has been granted.

According to Benton County Code, the timeline for making land use decisions is 150 days. Applicants are allowed to request up to 215 additional days for the process, for a total of 365 days. This can come as multiple requests throughout the process, each one changing the end date. Republic Services’ first extension request was granted in January, extending the time prior to the start of the public hearing by 58 days.

For more information and access to documents related to LU-24-027, visit bentoncountyor.gov/coffin-butte-landfill.

Entrance to Benton County's Kalapuya Building

May 19, 2025 in News

Benton County seeks volunteers for advisory boards and committees

Benton County government relies on more than a dozen citizen-led advisory boards and committees to help shape policies and make informed decisions. The Board of Commissioners invites community members to apply to fill current vacancies in five of the advisory groups.

Applicants will be interviewed by the Board of Commissioners, and those who are selected to serve will be appointed at a Board meeting in June.

Benefits of serving

Participating in an advisory body provides a unique opportunity for community members to actively contribute to decision making in Benton County. Advisory board and committee members represent the people, contributing expertise and objective insights that enhance the work of County elected officials and staff.

Serving in an advisory group is a great way to shape the future of the County, learn about local government, gain leadership experience and work with other highly engaged members of the community.

Who should apply

Benton County seeks applicants with diverse perspectives and lived experiences who can help local government support and serve all community members. Requirements for service include:

  • Residency: Live or own property in Benton County.
  • Expertise: Sometimes an interest in the committee’s work is all that’s needed. Other positions require relevant knowledge or experience.
  • Commitment: Attend regular meetings and actively engage in the decision-making process.

How to apply

Visit the Benton County website and complete the online application form. Questions can be directed to Maura Kwiatkowski at 541-766-6800 or maura.kwiatkowski@bentoncountyor.gov.

May 7, 2025 in News

Benton County extends public hearing on proposed landfill expansion

The Benton County Planning Commission has added a supplemental day to hear verbal public testimony on Republic Services’ application for the proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill. The public hearing was continued — that is, postponed to a future date — at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6, and will resume at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 8 in the County’s Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.

The Public Hearing on LU-24-027 was originally scheduled for three days of presentations, reports and testimony in late April and early May, with a fourth meeting in June for Commissioners to discuss the application and come to a decision. After nearly three hours of verbal testimony on the third day, the Commission had heard from only half of the 78 community members who signed up to testify. After a brief discussion and motion, the Commissioners voted to add the additional meeting and resume two days later so all community voices can be heard.

Revised hearing schedule

Tuesday, April 29
The County Planning Division and consultants presented the staff report, then addressed questions from the Planning Commission. View the recording of Day 1.

Thursday, May 1
Republic Services presented the application, then addressed questions from the Planning Commission. View the recording of Day 2.

Tuesday, May 6
Members of the public delivered verbal testimony. Each person who signed up was allotted three minutes to speak; some opted to cede their time to another speaker to allow that person more time to deliver their prepared message. Testimony was delivered by or on behalf of 37 people. View the recording of Day 3.

Continuance, Thursday, May 8, 6 p.m. – complete
The Planning Commission will hear testimony by the remaining people on the verbal testimony roster. Registration for verbal testimony closed at 6 p.m. on May 6, so no additional attestants will be added. Following the conclusion of verbal testimony, representatives of Republic Services will have an opportunity to deliver a brief rebuttal. Register for virtual participation through Zoom.

Tuesday, June 17, 6 p.m. – complete
Deliberations and decision by the Planning Commission. Zoom registration

Attendees who need any physical or language accommodations should notify Benton County Community Development (permitcheck@bentoncountyor.gov) at least 72 hours in advance of the hearing.

Written testimony

Written testimony is still being accepted in four ways: online form, regular mail, email (publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov) and hand delivery. Benton County Planning Division staff are posting compiled written testimony to the online Munidocs platform soon after it is received. The latest batch of comments includes those received through 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6.

More information about the public hearing is available on the Coffin Butte Landfill webpage.

May 6, 2025 in News

Landfill Hearing recordings, dates and testimony deadlines

The Public Hearing on LU-24-027, Republic Services’ application for the proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill, began on Tuesday, April 29. The Benton County Planning Commission scheduled four meetings for the hearing. It is open to the public in the Holmes & Shipley Meeting Room on the first floor of the County’s Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis, OR.

Tuesday, April 29
The County Planning Division and consultants presented the staff report, then addressed questions from the Planning Commission. View the recording of Day 1.

Thursday, May 1
Republic Services presented the application, then addressed questions from the Planning Commission. View the recording of Day 2.

Tuesday, May 6, 6 – 9 p.m.
The Planning Commission will hear public verbal testimony. The deadline to register for verbal testimony is 6 p.m. on May 6. Those who wish to participate remotely should register with Zoom.

Tuesday, June 17, 6 p.m. – complete
Deliberations and decision. Zoom registration

Attendees who need any physical or language accommodations should notify Benton County Community Development (permitcheck@bentoncountyor.gov) at least 72 hours in advance of the hearing.

Verbal and written testimony

Written testimony is still being accepted in four ways: online form, regular mail, email (publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov) and hand delivery. The deadline to submit written testimony has not been set. This date is determined by the Planning Commission, and the Chair is expected to announce the deadline in the May 6 meeting.

May 6 at 6 p.m. is the deadline to sign up to share verbal testimony during the hearing. Names are added to the verbal testimony roster in the order in which they are submitted. A testimony sign-up table is available in the lobby beginning one hour prior to meeting start times. Verbal testimony is limited to three (3) minutes per person.

More information about the public hearing is available on the Coffin Butte Landfill webpage.

April 30, 2025 in News

Landfill Hearing: Day 1 recording and recap; what to expect on Day 2

Day 1 recap

The Public Hearing on LU-24-027, Republic Services’ application for the proposed expansion of the Coffin Butte Landfill, began on Tuesday, April 29. Benton County Planning Commission Chair Nicholas Fowler started the meeting at 6 p.m. The County’s Planning Division presented the staff report. Planning Commission members asked many follow-up questions that were addressed by the County’s Planning Official, consultants and representatives from Republic Services. The Hearing was recessed around 8:45 p.m.

View the recording of Day 1.

Day 2 expectations

Presentation and discussion of the staff report on Day 1 took more time than projected. Republic Services’ presentation, planned for the first meeting, will take place when the hearing resumes at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 1. The Planning Commission will then move on to public verbal testimony if time permits.

If the applicant presentation and subsequent discussion fills the scheduled meeting time, public testimony will likely begin on Tuesday, May 6.

The hearing is open to the public in the Holmes & Shipley Meeting Room on the first floor of the County’s Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis, OR. The room has a posted capacity of 133 people, although fewer can be accommodated during the staff and applicant presentation portion of the hearing while tables are in place for the presenters. A viewing/listening room is available on the second floor of the Kalapuya building. An additional overflow space, not utilized on Day 1, will be opened on the first floor.

Attendees who need any physical or language accommodations should notify Benton County Community Development (permitcheck@bentoncountyor.gov) at least 72 hours in advance of the hearing.

The hearing can also be viewed through Zoom.

Verbal and written testimony

A new batch of compiled written testimony was posted to Munidocs on April 29. This includes comments received through noon on April 28.

Written testimony is still being accepted in four ways: online form, regular mail, email (publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov) and hand delivery. Details are available on the Coffin Butte Landfill webpage.

Members of the public can sign up to share verbal testimony during the hearing. Names will be added to the verbal testimony roster in the order in which they are submitted, either through the webform or in person at the public hearings. A testimony sign-up table is available in the lobby beginning one hour prior to meeting start times. Verbal testimony is limited to three (3) minutes per person.

Registration for verbal testimony will be open as long as the Public Hearing is in session or until 6 p.m. on May 6, whichever comes first.

April 25, 2025 in News

Benton County statement about LU-24-027 public written testimony

The staff report for LU-24-027 was published by the Benton County Planning Division on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Public written testimony is one of the addenda/exhibits included with this report. The large amount of content submitted as written testimony was more than the Munidocs platform could support. When the County realized that the initial compilation of comments uploaded on April 22 was truncated, staff began recompiling written testimony, ending up with six separate files to contain all the material for the addendum.

All written testimony submitted before 5 p.m. on April 21 is now published to the Munidocs platform. Benton County assures the public that all comments currently found on Munidocs will be seen by the Planning Commission prior to the start of the Public Hearing on April 29, not just those comments initially uploaded on April 22.

The next batch – including comments submitted between 5:01 p.m. on April 21 and 5:00 p.m. on April 29 – will be delivered in hardcopy to Planning Commission members prior to the start of the Public Hearing at 6 p.m. on April 29, but will not be uploaded to Munidocs until the digital compilation is available in May.

The final batch of written testimony will include all written comments submitted from 5:01 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29 through one week after the close of public testimony – a date that will be determined by the Planning Commission Chair during the Public Hearing. This written testimony will be available to Planning Commission members prior to the deliberation and decision meeting of the Public Hearing on June 17, 2025. It will be uploaded to Munidocs as soon as it is compiled, which will likely be after the Public Hearing ends on June 17.

Members of the public who submitted written testimony prior to 5 p.m. on April 21 and do not find their comment included in any of the six written testimony files on Munidocs* should contact publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 28. Any comments inadvertently omitted from the compiled written testimony will be delivered to Planning Commission members at least 24 hours prior to the start of the Public Hearing to ensure they can be read and considered ahead of the hearing.

County staff are reaching out to everyone who submitted written testimony prior to 5 p.m. on April 21 through the publiccomment@bentoncountyor.gov email address and the online comment form on the County website, providing instructions for verifying the presence of their comment.

*County staff recommend using Ctrl+F (PC) or Command+F (Mac) keyboard shortcuts in your web browser to keyword search the compiled written testimony documents, as the search feature in Munidocs is ineffective.

Leo Williamson from Oregon Department of Forestry talks about the wildland fire outlook for 2025

April 21, 2025 in News

Benton County proclaims May as Wildfire Awareness Month; hosts wildfire awareness roundtable

The Benton County Board of Commissioners is preparing for wildfire season with a wildfire awareness roundtable discussion on Tuesday, April 22. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m., with the discussion scheduled to start after two short items of business. The public is always welcome to attend BOC meetings in person or virtually.

The Board of Commissioners will dedicate most of their quarterly Information Sharing Meeting to the discussion including representatives of Benton County Emergency Operations, the Benton County Fire Defense Board, the Oregon State Fire Marshal and the Oregon Department of Forestry Representatives.

Topics of discussion will include the wildfire outlook, community preparedness, risks, highlights of department activities and the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Following the discussion, Benton County Emergency Services Manager Bryan Lee will ask the Board to officially proclaim May 2025 as Wildfire Awareness Month in Benton County.

Community members can attend the meeting in person at the County’s Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis. Those who wish to watch online should visit the Board of Commissioners online meeting portal.

A full recording of the discussion will be posted to the meeting portal within 48 hours after the end of the meeting.

IMAGE: Leo Williamson of Oregon Department of Forestry talks about the wildland fire outlook for 2025.

April 18, 2025 in News

Benton County seeks applicants for Budget Committee vacancy

It’s budget-building time for Benton County, and an unexpected vacancy has opened up on the Budget Committee. The County is looking for a citizen member to come in mid-term, just in time to assist with the 2025-27 biennium budget. The deadline to apply is April 25, 2025.

WHAT

The Budget Committee is the forum for public review of the proposed biennial budgets for Benton County, Benton County 911 Emergency Communications Services, and the Benton County Library Service District. Its members review and approve a proposed budget. The Board of Commissioners then conducts a final public hearing and adopts the budget.

WHEN & WHERE

This position will require about 30 volunteer hours in May 2025. Meeting and hearing times vary between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Hearings are held at the Kalapuya Building at 4500 SW Research Way in Corvallis.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

Any County resident with interest and available time should apply! Benton County seeks applicants with diverse perspectives and lived experiences who can help us support and serve all community members.

Learn more and apply

These documents are available in alternative formats and languages upon request. Please contact pioinfo@bentoncountyor.gov.

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